GEOGRAPUICAL KKVIEVV. 'JO 



for this roa:>(>u and also Iliat llio two chief rivers intersect the main line of the Siberian trade 

 traffic at right angles. Although fortunately the junction of the two branches of the Obi forms 

 an uninterrupted and exc(3llent navigable route between the most important and almost extreme 

 points of this line of traific in Western Siberia, the cities of Tinmen and Tomsk, ihis 

 route is too circuitous and fur the greater part lies outside the cultivated and agricultural 

 regions of Siberia. 



Western Siberia abounds in lakes. Besides the picturesque mountain lakes in the nar- 

 row valleys and ciicular basins of the Altai, a very large quantity are situated in the West- 

 ern Siberian lowlands, and especially in its southern limits, in the Ishimsk, Barabinsk and 

 Kouloudinsk steppes. Among the lakes there are some of vast dimensions, such as lake Chan 

 which covers over 60 geographical square miles. There are also numberless small lakes which 

 have no outlets, although some are fresh water, as well as salt lakes. 



In order to explain better the character of the vast Western Siberian lowlands and 

 their capacity for settlements and cultivation, it is necessary to subdivide it into three zones 

 presenting quite different types. The first of these types is the cultivated agricultural zone of 

 Western Siberia. It is composed of all the districts of the government of Tobolsk, except the two 

 northern, that is, the Berezovsk and Sourgoutsk districts, and also of the lesser northern portions of 

 theTarsk district and the greater northern portions of the Tourinsk and Tobolsk districts, of the gov- 

 erimient of Tobolsk and of all the lowland portions of the government of Tomsk which 

 do not enter into the composition of the Altai mining district, with the exception, however, of 

 the so-called Narymsk region which occupies fonr-lifths of the area of the Tomsk district. 

 Under these conditions the cultivated agricultural zone of the Western Siberian plain occupies 

 an area of 8,500 geographical square miles, and is characterized by the fact that it is capable of 

 an agricultural and settled colonization, and at the same time is throughout plentiful in forest. 

 Naturally in this zone there are also large areas which are unfitted for cultivation and a 

 settled population. The must important example of such a locality are the so-called Barabinsk 

 steppes, where the stagnant water of the fresh water lakes alternates ^vith salt lakes and marshes, 

 and the vast Vasugansk bog which occurs on the boundary of the cultivated agricultural 

 zone. But it may be estimated that six thousand geographical s(iuare miles of this zone are 

 suitable for colonization and agricultiii-e. The second type is represented by the Western Si- 

 berian zone of high-stemmed forests, which comprise thegreat northern portions of the Tourinsk 

 and Tobolsk districts, the northern portions of the Tarsk aud the southern portions of (ho 

 Sourgoutsk and Berezovsk districts of the government of Tobolsk, and the whole of the vast 

 regions of Naryni in the government of Tomsk. This zmn' (ic<'ui»ies an area greater flian that 

 of the Altai niiuing region and the cultivateil agricultural zone taken together, namely, eighteen 

 thousand geographical square miles, and it is characleriztid by the fact that it consists, like the 

 greater part of the government of Archangel and the nurth-easlern iturliuns id" the government 

 of Vologda in European llussia, of a continuous mass of foi-ests and bogs, in which there are 

 only isles or oases in any way suital)le for settlement, scattered chieHy on the lirm banks of the 

 rivers. And lastly the third type comprises the portions of the Beresovsk and Soin-goutsk 

 districts lying beyond the paralh'l of lieresov, thai is, 61" north latitude, and forming the [lolar 

 marsh land zone which (.'xtends over seven thousand geograpliieal s(|uare niih^s of Western 



